Variations in lipid profile have been observed in sickle cell disease (SCD) and understanding their relationship with disease severity is crucial. This study aimed to investigate the association of polymorphisms of the CETP gene and laboratory markers of disease severity with lipid profile in a pediatric population with SCD. Biochemical and anthropometric analyses and CETP and alpha-thalassemia genotyping were performed. The study included 133 children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia (SCA) or hemoglobin SC disease (SCC), in steady-state. The SCA and no hydroxyurea (no HU) groups had higher values of ApoB, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) compared to the SCC and HU groups. However, there were no significant differences in ApoA1 and HDL-C levels between the groups based on genotype. Furthermore, the groups with altered levels of ApoA1, HDL-C, and the triglyceride/HDL ratio exhibited lower hemoglobin (Hb) levels and higher white blood cell counts. Hb level was associated to HDL-C levels. Analysis of CETP gene variants showed that the minor alleles of rs3764261 (C>A), rs247616 (C>T), and rs183130 (C>T), as well as the TTA haplotype, are explanatory variables for HDL-C levels. These findings suggested that dyslipidemia in SCD, specifically related to HDL-C levels, may be influenced by individual genetic background. Additionally, further investigation is needed to determine if clinical manifestations are impacted by CETP gene variants.

O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a eficácia do imazapyr no controle de macrófitas flutuantes e a ecotoxicidade para organismos não alvos. Para os ensaios de eficácia de controle das macrófitas flutuantes, foram utilizadas as doses de 0,5; 1,0; 2,0; 2,5; 3,0; 3,5 e 4,0 L ha-1 e um controle com 10 réplicas. A toxicidade aguda para organismos não alvos foi estimada pela concentração letal de 50% (CL50 e CE50). A eficácia de controle para as macrófitas flutuantes foi acima de 90%. O imazapyr foi classificado como moderadamente tóxico para os bioindicadores L. minor, H. eques, B. rerio, P. caudimaculatus, P. canaliculata e P.mesopotamicus e ligeiramente tóxico para A. caroliniana. Assim, o herbicida imazapyr é uma ferramenta com grande potencial para ser usada no controle de macrófitas flutuantes (E. crassipes, P. stratiotes e S. molesta) no Brasil, e a sua utilização pode ser avaliada por meio de bioindicadores de aplicação.

the aims of this study were to determine imazapyr efficacy for floating macrophyte control and ecotoxicology for non-target organisms. For the floating macrophyte control efficacy tests were used the doses of 0,5; 1,0; 2,0; 2,5; 3,0; 3,5 and 4,0 L ha-1 and a control with 10 replicates. The acute toxicology for non-target organisms was estimated by lethal concentration 50% (LC50 and EC50). The floating macrophyte control efficacy was over 90%. Imazapyr was classified as moderately toxic for the following biomarkers: L. minor, H. eques, B. rerio, P. caudimaculatus, P. canaliculata, and P. mesopotamicus and lightly toxic for A. caroliniana. Thus, imazapyr herbicide is a tool with great potential to be used on floating macrophyte control (E. crassipes, P. stratiotes e S. molesta) in Brazil and this practice can be evaluated by the use of application biomarkers.

Introduction: A study published in 2011 showed that patients in the Canary Islands, who were incident in peritoneal dialysis (PD) had better survival than those who were incident in hemodialysis (HD). Since initiating hemodialysis with central venous catheter is associated with worse prognosis, it would be possible that the initial vascular access influences the results of survival comparison between both groups. Objective: To conduct a comparative medium-term survival study of patients incident in renal replacement therapy with different modalities in our community, classifying those incident in hemodialysis according to the initial vascular access: established arteriovenous vascular access or central venous catheter. Material and method: Retrospective longitudinal cohort study including all patients who were incident in renal replacement therapy between January 2005 and December 2010, with follow-up until December 2011, in three large hospitals of the Canary Islands. Patients were classified according to the initial modality: PD, HD with established vascular access (HD-FAV) or HD with central venous catheter (HD-Cat). Kaplan-Meier survival curves were estimated for each group and a Cox proportional hazards survival model was used to estimate relative mortality risk for DP as compared to HD-FAV and HD-Cat, adjusting for age and Charlson comorbidity index. An equivalent analysis was then conducted on subgroups defined by age or by the presence of diabetes. Results: 1110 patients were included, with a median age of 63 years, 56% of them were diabetic. A Kaplan-Meier analysis showed better survival for PD (66 months) as compared to HD-Cat (41 months), Log Rank p<.001, with no difference between DP and HD-FAV (67 months). Cox regression RR of mortality for HD-Cat versus PD was 2.270 (1.573-3.276); p<.001; no differences were found between HD-FAV and PD patients 0.993 (0.646-1.525) n.s. Subgroup analysis showed equivalent results for diabetic and non-diabetic patients as well as for younger or older ones. Conclusions: better survival of PD patients as compared to HD ones, observed in the Canary Islands, seems to be based on incident HD patients with central venous catheter, while no differences were found between PD and HD with established vascular access. These results could suggest that patients in our community, for whom a vascular access cannot be achieved in predialysis, could have better survival if PD is offered as initial technique, at least until a vascular access is available.

Introducción: En un estudio publicado en 2011 se observó que en la Comunidad Canaria la supervivencia de los pacientes incidentes en diálisis peritoneal (DP) es mejor que la de los pacientes incidentes en hemodiálisis (HD). El inicio de HD con catéter venoso central condiciona un peor pronóstico, por lo que el acceso vascular de inicio podría condicionar la comparación de la supervivencia entre ambas modalidades. Objetivo: Realizar un estudio comparativo en nuestra comunidad de la supervivencia a medio plazo de los pacientes incidentes en tratamiento renal sustitutivo según la modalidad, separando a los pacientes incidentes en HD según el acceso vascular de inicio: acceso vascular arteriovenoso desarrollado o catéter venoso central. Material y métodos: Se trata de un estudio de cohortes longitudinal retrospectivo, que incluyó todos los pacientes incidentes en tratamiento renal sustitutivo entre enero de 2005 y diciembre de 2010 seguidos hasta diciembre de 2011 en tres de los grandes hospitales de la Comunidad Canaria y se dividieron, según la modalidad de inicio, en DP, HD con acceso vascular desarrollado (HD-FAV) y HD con catéter venoso central (HD-Cat). Se estimaron las curvas de supervivencia en los distintos grupos mediante Kaplan-Meier y se aplicó un modelo de riesgos proporcionales de Cox de supervivencia para estimar los riesgos relativos de mortalidad de DP, frente a HD-FAV y HD-Cat, ajustando para edad e índice de comorbilidad de Charlson. Posteriormente se realizó el mismo análisis por subgrupos definidos por la edad y presencia de diabetes. Resultados: Se incluyeron 1110 pacientes, mediana de edad 63 años, 56 % diabéticos. El análisis de Kaplan-Meier muestra una mejor supervivencia de DP (66 meses) frente a HD-Cat (41 meses), log-rank p < 0,001, no existiendo diferencia entre DP y HD-FAV (67 meses). En la regresión de Cox el riesgo relativo de mortalidad de la HD-Cat frente a la DP fue de 2,270 (1,573-3,276); p < 0,001. No se observó diferencia entre los pacientes HD-FAV y DP 0,993 (0,646-1,525). El análisis por subgrupos muestra estos mismos resultados en diabéticos y no diabéticos, y en los pacientes más jóvenes y en los más añosos. Conclusiones: La mejor supervivencia en DP frente a HD observada en el registro de enfermos renales de la Comunidad Canaria parece a expensas de los pacientes incidentes en HD-Cat, no observándose diferencia entre DP y HD-FAV. Estos resultados podrían sugerir que, en nuestro medio, aquellos pacientes en los que, optando inicialmente por HD, no se consigue un acceso vascular desarrollado en la etapa prediálisis podrían obtener un beneficio de supervivencia ofreciéndoles la DP como técnica de inicio, al menos hasta disponer de un acceso vascular definitivo.

An alternative to solve dormancy problems, in vitro clonal propagation and interesting biomolecules isolation, is the tissue culture technique, objective of this work was to induce germination and establish of callus culture of Rubus adenotrichus. Three scarification methods were tested: 1) inmersion in sulfuric acid (30 and 60 min), 2) inmersion in sodium hipoclorite for 72 h, and 3) removal of seed coat. The cover removal was the best scarification treatment, it obtained the highest germination percentage (68%) in media MS without regulators, the developed plants have the morphologic characteristics of wild plants. For callus induction explants of leaves MS and WPM (Woody Plant Medium) media were used. Both, MS (with α-naphthalene-acetic acid 1 mg/L and kinetin 0.5 mg/L) and WPM (with 2,4-dichlorophenoxiacetic acid 0.5 mg/L and kinetin 0.75 mg/L) developed friable and pigmented callus. In this species the scarification process is essential for germination. MS and WPM media and plant growth regulators added are promoter of callus friable.

Una alternativa para resolver problemas de dormancia, obtención masiva de plantas y biomoléculas de interés es el cultivo in vitro, el objetivo de este trabajo fue inducir la germinación y establecer el cultivo de callo de Rubus adenotrichus. Se probaron tres métodos de escarificación: 1) inmersión en ácido sulfúrico (30 y 60 min), 2) inmersión en hipoclorito de sodio (72 h) y 3) remoción de la cubierta de la semilla, este último tratamiento fue el mejor, generando un 68% de porcentaje de germinación, en medio Murashige Skoog (MS) sin reguladores. Las plántulas obtenidas tuvieron un desarrollo similar al de las plantas silvestres. Para la inducción de callo, se emplearon hojas de plantas silvestres como explantes y fueron colocadas en dos tipos de medio: MS, con 1 mg/L de ácido naftalenacético y 0.5 mg/L cinetina) y Woody Plant Medium (WPM) con 0.5 mg/L de ácido 2,4-diclorofenoxiacético y 0.75 mg/L de cinetina. En ambos medios se desarrolló un callo friable y pigmentado. El proceso de escarificación es fundamental para la germinación de esta especie. El empleo de los medios MS y WPM, con los reguladores adicionados son promotores de la producción de callos friables.

To identify early metabolic abnormalities in type 2 diabetes mellitus, we measured insulin secretion, sensitivity to insulin, and hepatic insulin extraction in 48 healthy normal glucose-tolerant Brazilians, first-degree relatives of type 2 diabetic patients (FH+). Each individual was matched for sex, age, weight, and body fat distribution with a person without history of type 2 diabetes (FH-). Both groups were submitted to a hyperglycemic clamp procedure (180 mg/dl). Insulin release was evaluated in its two phases. The first was calculated as the sum of plasma insulin at 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 min after the beginning of glucose infusion, and the second as the mean plasma insulin level in the third hour of the clamp procedure. Insulin sensitivity index (ISI) was the mean glucose infusion rate in the third hour of the clamp experiment divided by the mean plasma insulin concentration during the same period of time. Hepatic insulin extraction was determined under fasting conditions and in the third hour of the clamp procedure as the ratio between C-peptide and plasma insulin levels. FH+ individuals did not differ from FH- individuals in terms of the following parameters [median (range)]: a) first-phase insulin secretion, 174 (116-221) vs 207 (108-277) µU/ml, b) second-phase insulin secretion, 64 (41-86) vs 53 (37-83) µU/ml, and c) ISI, 14.8 (9.0-20.8) vs 16.8 (9.0-27.0) mg kg-1 min-1/µU ml-1. Hepatic insulin extraction in FH+ subjects was similar to that of FH- ones at basal conditions (median, 0.27 vs 0.27 ng/µU) and during glucose infusion (0.15 vs 0.15 ng/µU). Normal glucose-tolerant Brazilian FH+ individuals well-matched with FH- ones did not show defects of insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity, or hepatic insulin extraction as tested by hyperglycemic clamp procedures.